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Union Workhouse, Thame, Oxfordshire
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Union Workhouse, Thame, Oxfordshire
A view of the Thame Union workhouse from one of its internal yards with the workhouse chapel in the background. Posed for the photographer are what appear to be the workhouse master (standing, right), the matron (seated, centre), and two female staff in nurses uniform (seated). The other standing figures may be members of the masters family. The workhouse, built in 1836 to a design by George Wilkinson, later became Rycotewood College
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Media ID 4464453
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10415983
1830s 1836 Chapel Commissioners Dickensian L Aw Legal Legislation Master Matron Nurse Nurses Oxfordshire Oxon Paupers Poor Poverty Staff Status Thame Workhouse Workhouses
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures a glimpse into the past of the Union Workhouse in Thame, Oxfordshire, built in 1836 to house and provide for the poor and destitute. The image, taken in around 1905, depicts the internal yard of the workhouse, with the workhouse chapel standing proudly in the background. The workhouse master, identified by his formal attire and standing position to the right, is seen in conversation with two female staff members, dressed in nurses' uniforms, who are seated in the foreground. The matron, dressed in a more formal gown and seated in the center, looks on with a stern expression. The other standing figures may be members of the master's family or other staff members. The Union Workhouse, designed by George Wilkinson, was a product of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, which aimed to provide a more efficient and cost-effective system for the relief of poverty. The workhouse regime was intended to be a deterrent to those seeking relief, with its harsh living conditions and strict discipline designed to encourage self-reliance and hard work. The photograph offers a Dickensian glimpse into the past, with its Edwardian-era attire and the somber, austere atmosphere of the workhouse grounds. The presence of the chapel, however, suggests that there was some provision for the spiritual and moral wellbeing of the paupers, who were often subjected to deplorable living conditions and inadequate medical care. The Union Workhouse in Thame later became Rycotewood College, a technical institute that provided education and training for local residents. Today, the building stands as a reminder of a bygone era, when the provision of relief for the poor was a matter of law and social status, rather than a fundamental human right.
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